Chris' Corner -- Sunday, February 27, 2022
Daily news reports abound on the crisis in Ukraine. More concern for us as Christians, are the many brothers and sisters in the church, who will be affected by a war in their country. Politically, it matters little what side of the fight someone may be on, but people's lives are the most important.
All through the pandemic, our missionaries to Ukraine, Gary Workman, and his wife Nadia, tell us they have been working diligently with the churches in the country to keep them strengthened in the Lord. Nadia spent time in her native land last summer, helping the church secure property to ensure more stability. Over the past month, as she tried to get back to shore up some final details, her plans were curtailed due to airlines canceling flights into the country. After rescheduling with another airline, they decided the risks involved were too great to fly into Ukraine as of last week. She thought she might not be able to return to the United States.
A Christian and former worker in Ukraine, who now lives and works in Cedar Key, Florida, wrote a few days ago how the cities of Kramatorsk and Slavyansk in the Donetsk region have churches and fellow Christians there. His concern was the occupation of eastern Ukraine. But now, as I write, Russian troops are invading the entire country.
We need to combine our voices in prayer for peace to find its way in Ukraine. Pray the spiritual strength of these Christians will remain strong as their homeland is torn apart by war and economic need. "The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You" (Psa. 9:9, 10).
Pray the church and her members will be kept safe under God's watchful eye and mighty hand. But regardless of how bad things may get, pray they will remember God does not forsake His faithful ones. James wrote, "My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful" (Jam. 5:10–11).
Pray the church in Ukraine will be given opportunities to spread the gospel and share their "inner peace" with their neighbors. Paul told the Thessalonians, "Therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith" (1 Th. 3:7). Stressful times have a way of drawing people to God.
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Rom. 8:35–37).
On our side of the world, we can only imagine how Nadia must feel knowing her family is in her native country while an invasion from a powerful foreign government is taking place. May we pray as if her family was our own!